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As the creator of Oishi restaurants, Tan, who in 1997 succumbed to the economic crisis, is known for his commitment to hard work. Making him famous are the innovative ideas behind the company's marketing campaigns.

Before Tan, Thais imported green tea. Now, Oishi exports green tea to Japan.

And at the final session of the "Thailand Tomorrow" conference last week, he once again mesmerised the audience with his thinking.

While Boonkiet Chokwatana, president of ICC International, said he wished things went well at Thai Airways International under the new president and urged all Thais to fly the airline to show their support, Tan had a different opinion.

"We can't use only THAI services. Likewise, we can't only eat at Oishi. If we did that, both companies would have been dead long ago, without competition."

This quite simply is true. Without competition, THAI would not have to realise that it is weakening against many airlines. Without competition, Oishi would not have to invest constantly in new products and service improvement.

Not that Tan doesn't want to fly exclusively on THAI, but he said there were a number of factors that affected his choice of airline. He needs to expand his experience by flying other carriers, while his wife prefers Cathay Pacific due to the large lounge in Hong Kong and his son loves airlines with excellent games.

The businessman believes it is necessary to see a lot and learn a lot. Two visits to Dubai - one before and one since the global financial crisis - have taught him how things can easily turn upside down.

When it comes to post-crisis strategies, Tan said all should embrace trouble as their close friend. To him, it is necessary for everyone to thoroughly understand a problem before finding a solution.

To Tan, the economy is comparable to the sun, which rises in the morning and sets in the evening. "The sun never keeps [visible] in the sky. We must understand the cycle. When the sun is up, we work hard. When the sun is down, we have to work harder. Opportunities depend on the way we think.

That probably explains why Tan spoke so fast that day. He must have had so much in his head that he felt he may not be able to release it all in the allotted time.

That evening, he surely must have headed to an opponent's restaurant - just for the extra experience.